Stories on Instagram are a great way to communicate with followers and build an interactive following; however, ever since Instagram launched Stories, the platform users have wanted to know – can we see who views our story? In this article, we will explain how users can see who is looking at their Instagram Story and the number of times each person has viewed it.
1. What is Instagram Story?
Instagram Story is a feature of Instagram that enables users to share photos and videos with followers for up to 24 hours before they are gone forever. The story includes tools like filters, drawing, stickers, and more.
Instagram Story acts as a way for users to share photos and videos of daily activities that may not be interesting enough for their actual profile. It allows for more regular updates which encourages followers to keep up with the account’s story.
The following are some of the features of Instagram Story:
- Post photos and videos that expire after 24 hours
- Post at any time of day
- Interact with the story by answering questions, sharing polls, and more
- Add location tags
- Use filters, drawing, and stickers
2. Is It Possible to See Who Viewed Your Instagram Story?
No, You Can’t See Who Viewed Your Instagram Story
It is natural to want to know who has seen your Instagram story, but you cannot actually see who views it. Instagram does not currently provide a feature to allow users to see who is viewing their stories or content.
All viewers of an Instagram story will be anonymous and it is not possible to find out how many people have seen your story either. It is also not possible to see how many people have watched an Instagram story more than once.
Though you cannot view who has seen your Instagram story, you can see how many people have sent you direct messages in response to your story. This can be a good indication of who the viewers of your story may be. Additionally, if someone posted a response to your story on their own account, then you can usually determine who they are. But apart from this, you cannot see who viewed your story.
3. Is It Possible to See How Many Times Someone Viewed Your Instagram Story?
Unfortunately, Instagram does not currently provide an official way for users to see how many times someone has viewed their story. Although there are third-party websites and apps that claim to be able to provide this information, Instagram discourages users from using them. Instead, they suggest that users track engagement with their story organically.
To determine the level of engagement with your story in a rough manner, there are a few clues that you can look for:
- Check the number of direct messages: To view messages related to your story, go to the story settings and tap on the direct message icon next to the number of viewers. Any conversations that start with your story will appear here.
- See if someone has added a reaction: Look for reactions such as hearts, laughter and other reactions on your story to gauge how many people have seen it.
- See if someone has taken a screenshot: When someone takes a screenshot of your story, you will be notified by the Instagram app.
In short, it is impossible to know exactly how many times someone viewed your Instagram story. However, with careful observation and tracking, you can make a rough estimate of your story’s reach.
4. How Can You Determine Who Has Viewed Your Instagram Story?
The social media platform Instagram is full of powerful analytics, including who has viewed your stories. Instagram is a great tool to foster relationships with your followers and staying connected, and understanding who has seen what you have to share is invaluable. Here are a few ways to check who has viewed your Instagram stories:
- Check the Story Views: When you are checking your own story, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, and you can see a list of accounts that have viewed your story. Instagram also separates the viewers into two groups: people and accounts who have seen the story, and people who have taken action such as sending a message.
- Check the List of Responses: When someone sends you a message directly based on a story, they will appear on the list of viewers. If someone has sent a direct message in response to the story, you will be able to see their username in the direct responses list.
- Check Your Story Insights: For more detailed insights into who has viewed your stories, you can check Story Insights. To access Story Insights, go to your profile page and click on the three-bar icon. From there, you can go to Insights, then Stories to view detailed analytics on the performance of your stories, including who has viewed them.
Checking who has viewed your stories is a great way to stay connected with your followers and gauge the impact of your content. It’s also a great way to foster relationships with viewers and respond to messages. Knowing who has seen what you have to say is a valuable tool for any Instagram user.
5. What Other Tools Can Help You Monitor Your Instagram Story Views?
Analytics Platforms
Various analytics platforms offer comprehensive solutions to measure your Instagram story engagement. These platforms usually provide real-time notifications, tracking trends in views, detailed performance metrics and overall insights into popular content. Using averages and trends, the platforms can detect changes in audience attention and usage and provide additional actionable information.
The good news is that most analytics platforms require only a few clicks of setup, and you can begin to receive information about your Instagram story views in a matter of minutes. Here are some of the top Instagram analytics platforms that can help you monitor your story views:
- Iconosquare
- Sprout Social
- Simply Measured
- Hootsuite
- Keyhole
Google Analytics
If you’re already using Google Analytics, you can also ensure that this tool measures your Instagram story views. The tool allows you to track a variety of actions and activities you’re getting on Instagram, including story views and more. To track your Instagram story views with Google Analytics, you’ll need to connect Google Analytics to Instagram, then configure the correct views and filters. Once your tracking and filters are in place, you’ll be able to track your story views in no time.
It’s important to note that even though Google Analytics is a powerful tool, it won’t track the people or companies who are viewing your story. For that kind of information, you will still need to turn to an analytics platform specifically for social media.
With these tools, you’ll get detailed insights into your Instagram story views and be able to keep track of how effective your stories are performing. When it comes to understanding who is viewing your Instagram Story, these are the main factors you should be aware of. Understanding how the Instagram algorithm works and the viewing analytics available will allow you to gain more insight into your Story’s reach. Start using these methods to get more out of your Stories and to boost engagement.